


the newspapers were right

by coasttocoast



Series: Times They Are a-Changing [1]
Category: Scooby Doo - All Media Types, Scooby Doo Where Are You! (TV 1969), What's New Scooby Doo
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Oblivious, Romance, velma and daphne are together cuz i say so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2013-06-03
Packaged: 2017-12-13 19:43:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coasttocoast/pseuds/coasttocoast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They didn't consider just telling them.<br/>In which Velma and Daphne subtly try to come out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the newspapers were right

Daphne is sitting adjacent to Velma in a diner booth when Fred slides in across from them.

He sighs, pops one of Velma’s french fries into his mouth, then pushes a newspaper at the two girls. “Can you believe it?” asks Fred incredulously. “Honestly, what these reporters are trying to pass as news now!” Velma and Daphne glance at each other before looking down at the newspaper. “’Are Velma and Daphne Coolsville’s newest it-couple?’” the blond reads, a slight scoff following his words. “Ridiculous, huh?”

Daphne intertwines her fingers with her girlfriend’s under the table. “Would it really be that bad?” she asks, squeezing Velma’s hand. “I mean, if we were?” (Velma would swear on her life she heard a twinge of concern in Daphne’s cool voice.)

There’s a shake of the head followed by an awkward laugh. “Well, no,” Fred replies. “But you’re not, obviously.” He makes to swipe another french fry, but Velma smacks his hand away before he can. “Anyways,” Fred continues, giving Velma a furrowed look, “Shaggy’s going to be here soon. He heard something about a ghost messing with a movie theater construction site. Looks like we’ve got another mystery on our hands.”

The newspaper isn’t brought up again.

***

“Well actually,” Velma says, hesitating while thinking over her next words, “I don’t think Daphne and I can make it to the movies tomorrow.” She gives her girlfriend a small smile before looking back over to the boys.

“Like, why?” Shaggy actually takes the time to stop stirring his latest concoction (some sort of tomato sauce with the addition of something to make it irrevocably disgusting is everyone’s best guess) to face the couple, spoon in hand. “We all know that like, every other Saturday we go to the movies together.”

Velma leans against the doorframe, trying to look casual. “You see… I was wondering, I mean, well, Daphne and I were thinking it was kind of weird, us all living here together so we decided to rent an apartment. It’s only fifteen minutes away if you walk and we thought the privacy would be nice. Plus, it’s right above this little shop so I’d finally be able to open my bookstore.” She forces herself to slow down; Shaggy is still watching her carefully, eyebrows climbing higher on his forehead as she rambles. Inhale. “Daphne and I are moving in together,” she tries, the words like candy on her tongue. Exhale.

Fred finally turns around, a light smile playing on his lips. “That’s great, Velma. Congratulations. You too, Daph. Owning a business is hard work, so it’s good you two are doing it together.”

A look is exchanged between the two girls. “Freddie,” Daphne says gently, but he cuts her off before she can finish.

“So what are you cooking up?” inquires Fred, peering over Shaggy’s shoulder.

“Tomato soup with chocolate sauce and anchovies,” the taller man replies matter-of-factly, hardly fazed by the gang’s collective groan.

***

Daphne hated Christmas Day. Her parents were both so busy every other day of the year, they never saw each other, but the one day they did, they fought nonstop. It was the kind of fighting that on the outside was about who was supposed to cook what, but on the inside was about all sorts of things she wouldn’t understand.

Managing to catch her mom alone, Daphne takes a seat next to her on the white sofa looking out onto the back porch. “Hi,” she says, running her hand through her long, red hair. “Um, last week, Velma was super mad at me. I don’t really understand why; I threw away one of her slides of bacteria from our doorknob, and I mean, she could go get more bacteria anytime she wants, but she was really angry. But eventually she started talking to me again, and we’re fine now. She has her gross microscope slide. But um, don’t let it get you down,” she finishes lamely. (Despite her best efforts, she’s not cut out to be a peacemaker.)

Her mother’s bemused smile alarms her. “Honey, are you comparing your spiff with Velma to my argument with your father?” Daphne nods dumbly. “Sweetheart, your father and I may fight, but I love him. We love each other, so we make it work.”

That had been her point.

***

The gang is sitting in the van, humming along to The Beatles when Shaggy breaks the silence. “So Velm,” he presses, “like, who's your Valentine this year?”

Trying to be as subtle as possible, Daphne whispers, “go for it,” in her girlfriend’s ear, so Velma obliges, a smile on her face. “Daphne is.”

“That’s awesome, guys,” he responds. Velma’s chest swells a little, and she opens her mouth to tell him that, yeah, it really is, when he and Fred burst into laughter. “Good one, man! And like, Scooby’s mine!” Shaggy laughs.

“Yeah, and Red Herring’s my Valentine,” adds Fred, trying his best to control his laughter as he drives.

Exhaling sharply, Daphne says, “No, we’re serious. Velma’s my Valentine.” Their hands interlock and their bodies press into each other’s warmth.

“That’s good,” Shaggy says. “Like, sell it, man. It’s hilarious.” The girls sit there, their intertwined fingers ignored.

***

“Shaggy, Scoob, Velma, you gu—“

“Hey Freddie,” Daphne pipes up, lightly tapping his arm. “Maybe this time, we could group differently.”

Fred gives her a curious look, but shrugs his shoulders without much thought. “Alright. You choose then.”

Without a single word, Daphne links arms with Velma, pulling her down a dark hallway, leaving Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby standing there, wondering what in the world could be so funny in a potentially haunted castle.

***

“Are you going to answer the phone?” asks Daphne, hitching her body closer to Velma’s, melting into her kiss.

“Are you going to answer the phone?” Velma questions pointedly. The wall of their apartment is cool against her back and Daphne is warm against her front, the contrast giving her shivers. (That or the thing Daphne’s doing with her tongue.)

“Maybe,” Daphne replies, her word more of an exhale onto Velma’s skin. She would have been fairly convincing if it weren’t for her fingers skimming the waistband of her girlfriend’s skirt. Her mouth opened to Velma’s kiss, and there was hardly room for her to feel all this and to think too, much less hear, which is why they both missed the sound of the door opening.

“Why aren’t you answering my—zoinks!” Shaggy says. He’s standing in the doorway of their apartment, staring at them. They’d all seen him open his mouth for his incredibly large sandwiches, but it was almost as if his jaw had unhinged. An unspoken conversation between Velma and Daphne decided the situation would have been a lot more funny if they were both fully clothed.

“Oh, wow, like, I’m just like,” he blinked three times, quickly. “I’m just like going to leave now.” They watch Shaggy stumble out, then Daphne leans her forehead on Velma’s shoulder, trying to decide whether to laugh or cry. When they hear Shaggy’s voice echo, “Fred, the newspapers were right!”, she decides on laughter.

She can feel it all through her body when Velma laughs with her.


End file.
